February 17, 2021

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Pine Glen Church Family, I trust that you are doing well. If you are not, I trust that you are looking to the infinite, limitless resources that are found in Christ. The greatest reality in the world is that the Son of God, Jesus Christ, is alive and that He reigns and rules on high! Jesus said, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world!” (John 16:33). What a wonderful comfort. There will be trials and tribulations in this present world, but in Christ, we have peace (Romans 5:1). Amen!

As you know, the Stegeman clan was on vacation last week. We didn’t go anywhere, just stayed close to home and enjoyed some precious family time together, and took some walks down by the river. I am continually struck by the beauty of this little part of the world. Even in a fallen world that is under God’s curse, there is still tremendous beauty in creation. All in all, it was a great week of vacation and I was thankful for the time of rest.

Just wanted to give you some questions to ponder, along with some verses that you can look up on your own:

• Do you desire to “be” with Jesus (Luke 8:38)?

• Can people recognize that you have “been” with Jesus (Acts 4:13)?

• Are you living a “Jesus only” kind of life or a “Jesus plus” kind of life (Matthew 17:8)?

The first two questions are fairly self-explanatory, but the third one needs some unpacking. When Peter, James, and John were on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus, Moses and Elijah appeared with them for a time. Then suddenly they disappeared. The disciples saw “no one but Jesus only.”

I have loved that verse ever since I discovered it many years ago. On the one hand, how cool would it be to see the great Old Testament prophets Moses and Elijah? Pretty cool! On the other hand, what could be better than seeing “Jesus only”? Nothing!

There are so many distractions around us. It’s easy to get caught up in the things of this world. For many, Jesus is just one part of a smorgasbord of things that make up their lives. In order to be happy and lead a fulfilling life, they think they need “Jesus plus” a whole bunch of other stuff. Authentic Christianity, however is all about “Jesus only” (Philippians 1:21) That is not to say we shouldn’t enjoy the good gifts of our Creator in this world, but it is to say that the true Christian will live for the glory of God and the furtherance of His Kingdom (Romans 11:33-36).

Let me also encourage you to “continue steadfastly in prayer” (Colossians 4:2). As the people of Pine Glen Alliance Church, we must be a people of prayer. The God of this universe has given us the gift of prayer and allowed us to communicate with Him. Amazing! Let’s not neglect it.

There are countless ways that you can be in prayer. Here are some ideas to guide your times of prayer.

• That we would be a thankful people, who never tire of giving God the glory for His goodness to us.

• That we would be a humble people, who are quick to confess sins and find healing in Christ (1 John 1:9, James 5:16).

• That God would give wisdom and clarity to leaders and governing officials. For the salvation of President Biden and other world leaders (1 Timothy 2:1-2, 1 Peter 2:13-17).

• For those within our church family who are suffering or grieving at this time (Romans 12:15).

• Gospel advance and the salvation of souls in Mifflin county and central PA.

• The work of missions around the world and for Ross and Elaine in Mali.

• Spiritual growth in our lives, and that we would strive to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 3:18).

Our great God just loves to answer the prayers of His people (Jeremiah 33:3). The Bible says, “Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near” (Isaiah 55:6).

Just a reminder. Our annual meeting is scheduled for March 10 at 7pm. If you are a member of PGAC, you need to be at that meeting if at all possible. In my next Pastor’s Letter in two weeks, I will be outlining some of our vision as we move forward as a church. I can assure you that God is building His church (Matthew 16:18) and doing a great work in our midst. What a privilege to be a part of it!

As I close, I want to thank you for all your prayers and support that you give to me and my family. Without the prayers of God’s people, we simply could not function (2 Corinthians 1:11).

Many blessings in Christ Jesus,

Pastor Dan